Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Fatal "Choice" to Stay

The Times Picayune has an article on the "choice" to stay in NOLA and not evacuate in advance of Hurricane Katrina.

With the issues raised in the article and being a good Scout (see sidebar) I'll place myself in the shoes of a NOLA resident pre-Katrina given my circumstances.

I have a crappy car, no credit cards, scant savings and a cat I love.....I would have asked will my crummy car make it very far up the road?(a question I routinely ask anyway for any trip over 10 miles )If it breaks down then what do I do? Abandon it and walk with my belongings and a cat carrier?Would anyone offer me and my howling cat a ride? Would I want a ride from anyone who'd offer?If the car doesn't break down how will I pay for a hotel, gas and food with no credit card and little savings?What will I do with Teddy my cat? Will I be allowed to keep her in the hotel I can't pay for?

It doesn't look good for me. I'd like to think I'd have overcome my circumstances and got out. But I'm afraid it looks like all would have combined to have made me "chose" to stay and possibly have ended up a statistic.How about you?